Final answer:
The customer segment that adopts a new product when it's absolutely necessary is known as C. Laggards, according to Everett Rogers' Technology Adoption Lifecycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The customer segment that will only adopt a new product when it becomes absolutely necessary is known as C. Laggards. Laggards are typically skeptical about change and new technology, and they are likely to adopt a new product only after it has become mainstream or when they have no other choice.
This concept is part of a model called the Technology Adoption Lifecycle, developed by sociologist Everett Rogers, which describes the adoption of innovations among different groups within a society. The model illustrates that not everyone embraces new products or technologies at the same rate. Laggards fall at the end of the adoption curve, representing a more traditional and conservative approach when compared to other segments like Early Adopters or the Late Majority.